2001 VX Engine Problem Help

[atilla_the_fun]

Unfortunately, there is no "easily." Its your choice- you're options with the least hassle are: Rodeo 3.5L, Trooper 3.5L, Acura SLX 3.5L, Vehicross 3.5L, or 2002 Isuzu Axiom 3.5L (paying attention to get a specific model number engine, as only some of the first produced for the Axiom may work). All of the rodeo, trooper, SLX and Vehicross are the same 3.5L motor you have in yours. They will all still suffer from the same design flaw that evacuates all the oil and leads to running dry. The Axiom engine was redesigned, and should not (no mention of any similar problems anywhere) suffer from the same issue. It doesn't take any modification, just drop the small block in. They will all cost the same (2-4$ dollars), and the power output is the same. These engines retain the TOD system. If you really didn't care about or need TOD, you can do an engine, transmission and transfercase swap, and never have any issues with oil consumption or transmission failure again.

The 4E30 transmission is weak, the 3.5L engine can be flaky (but is powerful). The TOD clutch packs are the only piece that is truly reliable.

For more information, please search the forum (using the search of course) as I don't have any part numbers or specifics past what I've written at hand.

[HubEZ]

thanks atilla for your reply, I'm looking at getting the engine rebuilt by a professional company as I can't seem to find any of those engines around that's worth putting in that I can trust wont do the same thing the next day.

So for those VX owners that love thier VX so much, what is the absolute best option for us, say if we had unlimited money, what would be the best engine to drop in there with the same HP or better and still retaining all of the features such as TOD? I like this vehicle enough to keep it forever, so if I'm willing to spend $5000 on a rebuilt, i midaswell just find out what the best option is. It sounds like every VX owner will eventually face my problem no matter how well they maintain the oil, engine will eventually meet its day. I'd love to replace my engine and never face that issue again.

[circmand]

thanks atilla for your reply, I'm looking at getting the engine rebuilt by a professional company as I can't seem to find any of those engines around that's worth putting in that I can trust wont do the same thing the next day.

So for those VX owners that love thier VX so much, what is the absolute best option for us, say if we had unlimited money, what would be the best engine to drop in there with the same HP or better and still retaining all of the features such as TOD? I like this vehicle enough to keep it forever, so if I'm willing to spend $5000 on a rebuilt, i midaswell just find out what the best option is. It sounds like every VX owner will eventually face my problem no matter how well they maintain the oil, engine will eventually meet its day. I'd love to replace my engine and never face that issue again.

Most of the engines dont have this problem. Once the problem developes it wont go away.

[VX KAT]

Just curious, had you been checking your oil?
Did you check it after the oil change?
Was the PCV valve changed when the oil was changed (or around then)?

Here's some of the threads on engine failure, polls, experience, etc....

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...E+FAILURE+POLL

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...E+FAILURE+POLL

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...ngine+oil+poll

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...184#post166184 (particularly starting at post #9)

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...light=axiom+DI

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...light=axiom+DI

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...ght=iamironman

[vt_maverick]

The Axiom engine was redesigned, and should not (no mention of any similar problems anywhere) suffer from the same issue.

Let me mention one then, I've said it before but probably not in any of the pertinent threads that Sue lists above. I have an '04 Axiom and it burns oil like a mother ******. So bad that I brought 5 quarts with me on our trip to Wisconsin (~2K miles round trip). Now an '04 is different from an '02 in that it features direct injection, but my understanding is that the pieces that were "redesigned" for '02 are carried over into '04 (except the DI option).

Bottom line is it's just a troublesome engine period. The ideal option for me (and this is from a not-very-mechanically-inclined arm-chair mechanic) would be a Nissan VQ series engine (3.5, 3.7, or 4.0) mated to Nissan's ATTESA AWD system. The VQ engine is the V6 that Nissan uses across their entire lineup, and it's won awards as a Top 10 engine for something like the last 15 years in a row. Bulletproof as they come, doesn't burn a drop of oil and has a great power to MPG ratio (depending on vehicle weight of course). The AWD system is like TOD for the 21st century, and it's used in all of Nissan's AWD vehicles including the GTR.